So long as men can breathe this gives life to thee
by Slytherin Cat
Summary: It was supposed to be simple: buy a ring, ask the girl. James hadn't expected the Valentine's Ball to get in the way. James/Lily, drabble collection for glowing neon.
1. Stalker Birds

Drabble written for the Alphabet Soup Drabble Competition, letter B (B is for Birds), the One-Shot a day Competition and the whole collection is dedicated to Sylvia in the Valentine's Day Fic Exchange. Enjoy!

_Word count:_ 112

**Stalker Birds**

When he saw her for the first time, he could have sworn he heard birds chirping.

When she slapped him for the first time, he swore to a worried-looking Sirius that he saw flying bluebirds.

When she beat him for the first – and, to her greatest regret and his greatest pride, only – time in Transfiguration, it was about canaries.

Their first date was spent avoiding a vicious eagle hell-bent on killing James (no one ever knew where it came from), and during their first kiss James got peed on by an owl.

So really, he should have expected finding a jewelry shop called 'The Owlery' when looking for engagement rings.


	2. Discovered Plans

Drabble written for the Alphabet Soup Drabble Competition, letter H (H is for Higgs Boson – something everyone knew about before it was discovered), the Daily One Shot Competition and the whole collection is dedicated to Sylvia, for The Valentine's Day Fic Exchange.

_Word count:_132

**Discovered Plans**

The ring was perfect. Perfect for her, that is. James had been looking for weeks now, but finally, that search was over. Of course, he'd still have to ask her…

"Is that for Lily?"

Sirius' – his best friend – voice surprised him so much he nearly dropped the recently discovered treasure. Treasure that he quickly hid, trying to look inconspicuous.

"What's for Lily?"

"Come on Prongs, everyone knew you're head over heels for that girl! When are you gonna ask her?"

"Ask her what?" His voice came out totally wrong, but he had other problems, like the fact that he was apparently not as discreet as he had thought…

"To marry you of course."

The fact that he fainted from Sirius' tone only would haunt him to the end of times.


	3. Learning About The Ball (1)

Drabble written for the Alphabet Soup Drabble Competition, letter P (P is for Pensive), the Magical Object Competition, Mirror of Erised (write about someone wanting something).

_Word count: _148

**Learning About The Ball (1)**

Lily glared at the flyer she had received with mixed feelings.

"No need to look so pensive, Lily. It's just paper, it's not going to attack you."

"Thanks Alice," she drawled sarcastically – something she had learned from Severus, back when they still had been friends. "I'd never have guessed with you."

"You're welcome," her blonde friend replied unfazed. "But seriously, it's just a Ball. We'll dance, we'll drink and before that we'll get the privilege to see our boyfriends grovel in front of us until we say yes."

Lily bit her lips worriedly, and of course Alice noticed.

"Don't you worry, I'm sure James will ask you soon. Now, excuse me, but it seems my man's in trouble."

She left, leaving Lily staring at the colored piece of paper she held. James had better hurry, there were only two weeks before the Ball.


	4. Learning About The Ball (2)

Drabble written for the Alphabet Soup Drabble Competition, letter Z (Z is for Zealous), the As Strong as We Are United Competition (prompt: valentine), the Musical Terms challenge (Affrettando: hurrying, pressing onwards), the One-Shot a Day Competition and for Sylvia.

_Word count: _207

**Learning About The Ball**

"Oh James, have you heard? There's going to be a Ball for Valentine's Day this year."

"What?!"

"You didn't know? Dumbledore thought it would be a good idea, you know, to promote 'communication between Houses', but we all know that no Gryffindor will invite a Slytherin."

"We have to invite a girl?"

"Where were you all these years, Prongs? Of course we have to!"

"Oh Merlin, I need a plan to invite Lily! What do I do?"

Sirius realized the moment James found his idea that he would probably hate it. James' plans were after all known to fail most dramatically.

"I need, I need flowers, dozens, no hundreds of flowers. No, flowers won't do. She'd think I'm trying to buy her with gifts. I have to find chocolate. Girls like chocolate. Sirius, what kind of chocolate does Lily like?"

"Hm… How would I know?"

"Padfoot, you're useless. I'm sure Moony would know. Perhaps I should try something else then… A dinner maybe. What do you think Sirius?"

"That you're being a tad overzealous with this."

"I'm not. It has to be perfect. I want her to remember that day for the rest of her life."

"I'm sure she will, James, don't worry."


	5. Asking Her Out

Drabble written for the Alphabet Soup Drabble Competition, letter N (N is for Never mind), for the As Strong As We Are United Competition, for the Magical Object Competition (Howler: write about someone angry), for the One-Shot a Day Competition.

_Word count: _140

**Asking Her Out**

"Lily?"

"What James?"

Oh she had snapped at him. It never was a good thing for him if she snapped at him.

"Never mind, I'll come back later."

"You do that."

oO-Oo

"Lily?"

"What Sirius?"

She sounded exhausted. Exhausted could be good – she didn't have the energy to get angry – but it could also be bad. An exhausted Lily was a dangerous Lily.

"James wanted me to ask you if…"

Death glare.

"Never mind. I'll be back later."

oO-Oo

"Lily?"

"Remus, I swear if you're here on James' behalf I'll skin you alive."

"Never mind then."

oO-Oo

"Guys, we need to figure this out. I've got to ask Lily to that Ball, and I need your help."

No one answered him, and James realized he was alone.

"Never mind, I'll do this alone then."


	6. Tactics

Drabble written for the Alphabet Soup drabble Competition, letter W (W is for Withholding) and the If You Dare Challenge (Continued), prompt 'The Mysterious Case of The Stolen Nutella', the One-Shot a Day Competition and the As Strong As We Are United Competition.

_Word count:_150

**Tactics**

"James Potter!"

Lily's scream woke up the whole Gryffindor Tower for about half a second, which was the time everyone wondered what the black-haired wizard had done this time before they fell asleep again, now used to that kind of thing.

"Yes Lily-dear?"

"Where have you hidden my Nutella?"

"I'm sorry, but I don't know what you mean." His eyes told the opposite though, and if there was one thing Lily knew, it was how to read James Potter's eyes.

"I know you're the one withholding it. Give it back, or else…"

"I will. But first you must agree to go to the ball with me."

Assessing glare. Heavy silence. Sigh.

"You're late."

"What?"

"I've been waiting for almost two weeks. Two weeks James! It'll be hard to earn my forgiveness."

"Is that a yes?"

"If I get my Nutella back."

Cry of joy. No one slept after that.


	7. The Aftermath

Drabble written for the Alphabet Soup Drabble Competition, letter F (F is for Fanatic), the One-Shot a Day Competition, the As Strong as We Are United Competition.

_Word count: _229

**The Aftermath**

When Sirius entered the Great Hall that morning, he was followed by a group of giggling girls, probably members of his fan-club – yes, he had a fan-club, it was something Lily knew he was very proud of – to whom he sometimes threw what were supposed to be discreet suggestive winks but really were all but discreet.

Hadn't she been already taken, intelligent and hadn't she possessed an ounce of self-respect, she may have fallen for it. As it was, she had a hard time trying not to laugh at him. Pity him, too because… Ah, there she was.

"Sirius Orion Black! What do you think you are doing?" Marlene McKinnon, Sirius' so-called 'secret girlfriend' had appeared seemingly out of nowhere, watching him pale with a proud smirk and a withering look. "Well, I'm waiting."

The pack of girl behind him bristled and looked ready to attack her until she turned her glare on them. "Sorry, dears, he's spoken for. Now get away from my date."

Lily felt more than she saw James sit next to her, and she kissed him lightly.

"I take it I'm forgiven?"

"I don't know… It was Nutella after all, it's sacred." She paused for a moment and smiled. "But don't worry, by the end of this, you'll be forgiven."

"This?"

"Yep!"

It appeared that the group of fanatics had changed their target…


	8. A Rose for a Lily

Drabble written for the Alphabet Soup Drabble Competition, letter Y (Y is for Yellow), the As Strong As We Are United Competition and the One-Shot A Day Competition.

_Word count:_ 106

**A Rose for a Lily**

"Here, it's for you."

"A rose, really?"

Well, I tried to find lilies but apparently it's not the right time of the year. So roses it is."

"Alright, but did you have to take the yellow one?"

"What's wrong with yellow? It's a perfectly fine color, and it's Valentine's Day so I needed to get you a flower."

"I hate yellow."

"Are you a witch or not?"

"What does that have to do with my yellow rose?"

"After all the studying you do, I thought you at least had learned a color changing spell somewhere."

"You know, I think I did."


	9. Last Preparations

Drabble written for the Alphabet Soup Drabble Competition, letter D (D is for Dinnertime), the One-Shot a Day Competition, the As Strong As We Are United Competition.

_Word count:_ 136

**Last Preparations**

"Lily, dinner is to be served soon. You should hurry. You wouldn't want James to have to start without you, right? He's your date tonight after all."

"Dinner can wait! I can't find the right shoes to wear, and my hair is just horrible!"

"Lily… Come out of the bathroom and show me your dress."

The dress was a deep emerald green, making somehow both her eyes and hair stand out perfectly.

Alice examined her best friend for a second, taking in the problem. She turned around, went for her truck and retrieved a pair of silver high heels. With a wave of her wand, Lily's hair was fixed in a high ponytail as she handed the shoes to the redhead with her other hand.

"Here, put those on, and then go. It's dinnertime."


	10. Proposing

Drabble written for the Alphabet Soup Drabble Competition, letter S (S is for Shut up), for The If You Dare Challenge (Continued), prompt 227: Beating Around the Bush, the One-Shot A Day Competition and the As Strong As We Are United Competition.

_Word count: _135

**Proposing**

"Lily, we've now been together for more than a year and as you know I really really love you and I know you love me too even if you haven't said it yet. I know that's just because you still believe I'm gonna leave you at the first time of trouble – which I won't, promise – and that it's why you keep trying to push me away even if we're together, which is kind of stupid, not that you're stupid cause you're absolutely brilliant, and I love you for it, just like I love you for everything you are, because I read somewhere that loving someone wasn't just loving the good parts of that person but the whole of her. So what I mean to say is…"

"James?"

"Yes?"

"Shut up. Of course it's yes."


	11. The Morning After

Drabble written for glowing neon (Sylvia) on the Valentine's Day Fic Exchange, the One Shot A Day Competition and The As Strong As We Are United Competition.

_Word count: _238

**The Morning After**

There was a smile on her face, a scarlet rose in her hair and a ring on her finger.

"Lily, Lily, you've got to tell me everything about yesterday!"

"Good morning to you too Alice," Lily said as she put her bag on the table, thus exposing the ring on her finger.

"Lily, is that what I think it is?"

"Well, if you think James asked me to marry him and I said yes, then yes."

Alice's subsequent squeal of joy and hug nearly got them a few weird looks, but Lily didn't care.

"Wow, Lily it's fantastic. I'd say I can't believe he finally did it, but that would be lying."

"Wait, you knew?"

"Of course I knew. Everyone did. Well, not the 'when' part, but that he would. Which reminds me I have to find Sirius…"

"What? Why?" Lily asked bewildered.

"I won the bet of course."

"What bet?"

Alice bit her lips and tried to look innocent. "Oh look, Frank is looking for me. I've got to go, see you later! And congrats again!"

The only thing that saved Alice from being questioned and killed by Lily for leaving her like that was the fact that Sirius just walked in.

"Sirius Orion Black! What's this I heard about a bet?!"

There was fire in her eyes, a scarlet rose in her hair and a ring on her finger. Life would be interesting.


End file.
